


Unholy Trinity

by Musicera



Category: Fairy Tail
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-31
Updated: 2018-11-02
Packaged: 2019-08-11 03:37:29
Rating: Mature
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 3,367
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16467935
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Musicera/pseuds/Musicera
Summary: Lucy is a counselor with three very interesting clients.  Follow her through three days of intrigue, angst and lust.  Dedicated to MadSoullessQueen and her amazing Unholy Trinity Prompt.  Day 1: Blood; Day 2: Rapture; Day 3: Nightmare.





	1. Blood

**Author's Note:**

  * For [MadSoullessQueen](https://archiveofourown.org/users/MadSoullessQueen/gifts).



“Is my eight o'clock here yet?” Lucy asked as she stood at the threshold to her office. She swiped a bit of the bright blonde hair that had escaped back into her bun and adjusted her suit jacket so that it sat better against her curves.

“He called just a few minutes ago and he is on his way,” Lucy's assistant Wendy said in her sweet voice. Lucy smiled at the younger woman and nodded. “Thank you. Please just let him in when he gets here. Feel free to head home once he's arrived.” Wendy nodded in understanding and Lucy clicked the heavy oak door closed behind her.

Sitting down in her oversized leather chair, she sighed as she looked out the window. The moon was bright this evening, despite the clouds trying to cover its shine. The clock above her desk showed that she had another sixty seconds before her final client of the evening arrived.

“I'm not exactly sure why I agreed to see someone so late,” she said to herself aloud.

“I presume it's because I'm so convincing,” a smooth voice said at her office threshold. She startled in her chair before turning to see her client. 

“I'm sorry, I did not mean any offense,” Lucy said, quickly getting up to greet the man.

He waived her apologies off. “I understand you are doing me quite the favor. Please know it is appreciated and think nothing more of it.”

Lucy smiled. From day one, the man was brimming with charm. So much so that Lucy had to be careful around him. “Please, have a seat,” Lucy said, gesturing to the petite sofa placed beside her chair. Her client sat down gracefully and Lucy took a deep breath before taking her own seat. “It's been a week since I've seen you last. Anything happened during that time that you would like to tell me about?”

The man lifted one corner of his mouth slightly. “Work has been rather--” he hesitated slightly before saying “difficult.”

“Oh?” Lucy said with interest. “Care to elaborate?”

“When you ask so politely, how could I resist?” the man said, directing a smile at her. Lucy tried to cover her blush by reaching to her desk for a notepad and pen. “We've hired two new employees this past month. They are not doing as well as expected.”

“Can you give some examples?”

“Of course,” the man replied smoothly. “I've given them each three case assignments. They act as if they do not understand their responsibilities.”

“Well, have they attended some orientation or are they somehow expected to know what is required of them?”

The client seemed slightly agitated at the question. “They were hired because they indicated they had.a specific skill set. An orientation to this kind of work is simply not done.”

Lucy frowned slightly. “Odd. I don't seem to have in my notes what type of work your company performs. I see here you are the owner, but I don't believe you've ever told me your business?”

The client’'s features schooled as he responded, “It's not odd as it was entirely intentional. My business is completely confidential.”

“You do understand that there is something called therapist-patient confidentiality. I cannot share any details of our sessions. I cannot even confirm or deny that you are my client, or that I even know you,” Lucy explained.

“Nevertheless,” the man said with a small smile, “I don't believe it's relevant to my therapy goals.”

Lucy nodded. “Well, I'd like to help you work through this issue. Can you at least give me some generic information about how these employees have not met expectations.”

“More like failed me,” the client said with ire. “They were given tasks and they failed to complete them within the required time. What else is there to say?”

“And this bothers you so much, why?”

The man huffed slightly, shaking his head as his long, dark hair he had pulled back swayed slightly. “I expect results of people. If I give them a task and a deadline, I expect them to meet the same.”

“Is that how you feel about our sessions?” Lucy asked, unsure of exactly why she was asking.

The man’s eyes caught hers and he leaned in closer. Lucy's breath hitched as he spoke the next words. “You have met all of my expectations and more.”

Lucy's voice caught in her throat and her lips trembled slightly before she was finally able to say “I'm glad.”

The man leaned back, his dark silk suit catching the glint of the moonlight, finally giving Lucy to space to suck down some much needed air. “May I make a suggestion?”

“I'm open to one,” he replied smoothly.

“Show these two employees some compassion. Give them another week to complete the assignments you've given them. It may do you some good to relax your standards a bit.”

“I'm not sure if I can agree to that,” the man replied with a raised eyebrow.

“You came to me complaining of anxiety. We've already determined that much of that comes from your need to control everything around you. Just this once, give up a bit of control. Try and give people space to meet your expectations but on their terms. They may surprise you.”

The man looked out the window, his angled features looking even more gorgeous in the muted light. “Give up control?” he pondered aloud to himself. “A rather difficult proposition for me to agree to.” He turned and met Lucy's eyes. “But you can be so convincing.” Lucy blushed and the client stood. Lucy allowed her gaze to follow him to his full height and for a moment, she allowed herself to feel consumed by his presence. 

“Ms. Lucy, as always, an hour with you passes faster than those without. I thank you for staying late on my behalf and I will take your suggestion just this one time.”

Lucy smiled and stood herself. “I am glad to hear that,” she said, as she walked her client out of her office and towards the main door.

The man stopped to pick up the briefcase he had left outside Lucy's office. Lucy watched as he opened the leather case to retrieve his gift from inside. This had become their weekly ritual, on the client's mandate. “For you,” he said, handing her a beautiful red rose.

Lucy smiled as she took the flower. “Thank you.” She walked him the few extra steps to the office's main door. 

“Good night, Lucy.”

“Good night, Mard,” Lucy responded, closing the door shut behind him. Walking back to her office to grab her own belongings, she placed the bloom into a small vase on her desk, the rose from last week still vibrant as ever. She smiled, feeling somehow refreshed herself after talking to the man.

Fishing her car keys from her desk drawer, she noticed a small drop of blood on one finger. Looking thoughtfully at the droplet, she pondered aloud, “Must have pricked myself on a thorn.”


	2. Rapture

 “Right, so, if you can, tell me a little bit about why you’re here today?” Lucy directed her question at the man sitting across from her. He was sprawled out on the couch, his white cloak dragging slightly on the floor beneath him with one leg draped over the back of the sofa. 

“Well, damn Starlight, if someone had told me your fine ass would be here, I’d have come a lot sooner.” He turned to flash her a charming grin and despite the lewd comment, Lucy couldn’t help but giggle slightly. The man had charm, that much was clear.

Lucy schooled her features. “Let’s unpack that statement a bit, shall we?  Before you said it, did you think how it might make me feel?”

The man twirled a lock of his spiked maroon hair between his fingers.  “Honored AF?”

“AF?” Lucy clarified.

“As fuck,” he responded back simply.

“Oh,” Lucy said, jotting down a few notes.

“Whatcha writing?” he said, sitting up slightly to try and look over Lucy’s notepad.

“Just a few notes about your case so I can remember the next time we meet.”

“Second date confirmation already? Nice!” the man laughed and lounged back on the sofa.

“Now, Erik,” Lucy tried to continue but he interrupted her.

“Cobra.”

“I’m sorry?”

“I go by Cobra.”

“But that’s not your given name.”

“Sure it is.  I gave it, to myself.  Life’s all a matter of perspective really.”  He paused for a moment.  “I’m so fucking wise.  Maybe  _I_ should become a therapist.”

“I’d strongly advise against that,” Lucy said, barely above a whisper.

“Think I couldn’t cut it?”

Lucy startled.  “How did you hear what I said?”

“I can read your soul babe.” Lucy gave him a sideways look and he laughed.  “I’ve always had epic hearing.  It’s sorta my thing.”

“Yes, well,” Lucy said, jotting down a note of that.  “Perhaps we should get back to the question at hand.”

“You’re probably right. People talking all the time? Trying to tell me their stupid ass problems?  Seems obnoxious.”

“That is a word some people might use.”  Cobra grinned knowingly and Lucy sighed.  “Can you tell me a little bit about why you decided to come see me.”

“Other than to just come by seeing you?” Cobra responded with a smirk.

“Yes,” Lucy said flatly, refusing to give into his game.

“Work sucks,” he finally admitted.

“How so?”

“My boss is a prick.”

Lucy internally cheered at finally getting somewhere with the client.  “I’d imagine there’s more to it than that.”

Cobra rolled his eyes. “Hardly.  The first day I started, the man gave me three assignments and wanted them done like, immediately.  Give a guy a chance to figure out where the kitchen and the bathroom are, geesh.”

“Did you explain to him your concerns?”

Cobra rolled over onto his side, propping his head up with his hand.  “No offense sweetheart, but he’s not really the type of guy that you can have a conversation with, you catch my drift?”

Lucy moved her lips slightly.  “Oh, I don’t know.  I think sometimes people might surprise you.”

“Surprise me yes, just not in a good way.”

“Let’s try an exercise,” Lucy suggested.

“With you? Yes.”

Lucy shook her head and merely continued.  She had practice dealing with difficult clients before, although she had never quite seen someone blend humor with borderline unwanted advances so well. She’d seen plenty of those two things separated, but the two together was entirely Erik.  “I want you to start making suggested solutions to this problem you’re having with your boss.  I’ll jot them down as you do.  Just say the first thing that comes to mind.  Nothing is a wrong answer.”

“Poison him,” Cobra responded immediately and Lucy gave him a stern look.  “I’m kidding, jeez.  I signed your little consent form.  Just making a joke, its kind of what I do.”

“Shall we be serious?”

“Okay,” Cobra responded in a somewhat defeated tone, throwing his head back on the couch. “I’d offer sex but you know, I don’t know which way he swings to be honest.  Maybe I could find chick with dick so he didn’t have to decide.”  He hesitated as if in thought.  “Unless he prefers the reverse—man with clam.”

“Try again,” Lucy said, not feeding into Cobra’s obvious ploys for attention.

“Write him a letter?” Cobra said with uncertainty.

“Now we’re getting somewhere!” Lucy exclaimed.

“I wasn’t finished.  Write him a letter asking him his sex preference?”

Lucy pinched the bridge of her nose.  “Let’s try it a different way.”

“A different position, also a yes.”

“I’m going to make suggestions, and you tell me what you think of them, okay?”

“The Rapture is my favorite sex position, but we’ll have to practice to get it right.”

“What about speaking to his assistant about the issue?”

Cobra let out a bellowing laugh before looking Lucy straight in the eye.  “Are you serious?  Holy shitballs, you’re serious.”  He gave her a wide-eyed look.  “She’s an _actual_ demon, you know that, right?”

Lucy rolled her eyes. “No one is an _actual_ demon.”

“Okay Starlight.  You know best.  Next suggestion.”

“What about speaking with other employees about their experiences when they first started?”

“I hate everybody and don’t want to talk to them. Next.”

“Speak to the human resources department.”

“You mean demon resources department?  Next.”

“Have you considered evaluating whether you could actually complete your assignments and that you’re just choosing to delay?”

Cobra smiled a bit as he looked up at the ceiling.  “Have I considered that? No.”

“Well, let’s consider it then.”

Cobra hoisted himself up on the sofa and straightened his coat.  “No need to do that, that’s definitely the answer to all this.”

“Well then I think we both know what the solution is.”

“You’re much smarter than me, Starlight.  I’m gonna need another session so you can clear it all up for me.”  Cobra flashed her a wicked grin and Lucy couldn’t help but smile.  “Besides,” he continued.  “Even if I did everything he asked of me, Mard fucking Geer is never going to be happy. So, I’ll need to talk to you for a third date—I mean session—about that as well.”

“I’m sorry, did you say you work for Mard Geer?” Lucy asked as Cobra straightened his white jacket.

“Sure did.  You know him?”

Lucy shook her head. “No.  Just wanted to be sure I had my notes correct, that’s all.”  She tapped the pen to her mouth.  “Where is it you said you worked?”

“Tartaros Mercenaries.”

“And what is it you do?”

Lucy was deep in thought jotting Cobra’s responses on her pad so that she missed him leaning in to leave a small kiss on her cheek.  Standing to his full height he smiled as she looked up at him and said, “Sorry, that’s classified.”

Lucy watched, stunned as he walked to her office door.  “See you next week, doc.  Wear something pretty for me.”  And with that, Cobra was out her door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Another big shout out to MadSoullessQueen and her amazing prompt and help in getting these chapters rolling for me. Hope you guys enjoyed the read! Only one chapter left! Happy Halloween!


	3. Nightmare

“Lucy!” The deep voice called her name and she turned to locate her hailer. Given his impressive height, it was easy to spot him from a distance. She made her way past the hostess station and towards the booth to the far back corner of the restaurant.

“You look beautiful, as always,” the man said before kissing her cheek lightly.

She smiled gently before taking her seat. “Always the charmer. We’ve been down that road before.”

The man lifted an eyebrow. “And I wouldn’t mind driving down it again.”

Lucy just smiled and shook her head. Her and Laxus had had their rendezvous in the past and she had to admit, they were amazing. But she knew that there was no actual future for the two of them other than just as friends.

“So how was your week?” Lucy asked while pushing aside the menu. This was their Friday evening ritual. After each of them saw their last patient for the day, they would meet here. The last one to the booth paid for the other’s drinks. Lucy loved it. It always gave her something to look forward to after long weeks of caring for other people.

“Not particularly eventful. Well, except for one new client. Came in complaining about how unreasonable his boss is being at his job.”

Lucy nodded her head in understanding. “Had one of those myself actually, but he seemed more interested in flirting with me than with actually addressing his concerns.” Laxus raised a blond eyebrow. “Relax, I can handle myself,” Lucy said, pushing his concern aside.

“I definitely know that,” he said with a hint of amusement.

“What was so eventful about yours?” Lucy said, breaking some bread for herself from the basket at the center of the table.

Laxus shrugged. “I just got this weird feeling from the guy. Like he was hiding something from me but I couldn’t get him to crack. Bothered me.”

Lucy nodded. “I get that. I know how much you pride yourself in helping your clients. But remember, some people just take more time.”

Laxus nodded and sighed. “Yeah.” He looked forlorn for a moment. “You ever think about giving it all up to go and do something crazy? Something you’ve always wanted to do?”

Lucy smiled knowingly and instantly responded. “Yes. Always wanted to start a boxing gym.”

“You box?” Laxus said in surprise.

“Think a girl can’t throw a few punches?”

“Never said that. Just didn’t know that about you,” Laxus corrected her.

“I’ll give you a pass on that one. Yeah, a bit. Learned back when I was a kid from my grandfather. What’s your crazy dream?”

Laxus was silent for a moment before finally admitting, “I’ve always wanted to get my electrician’s license.”

“That’s your dream?” Lucy said in disbelief.

“Hey, don’t jest!” he said, looking a little offended.

“Sorry, I just thought for sure you would say, go live on the road or something like that.”

Laxus shrugged. “The heart wants what the heart wants.”

Lucy smiled. “Yeah. I get that.”

. . .

Mard was agitated. His employees were supposed to meet him at the restaurant bar as soon as their assignments for the day were completed, but no later than seven o’clock. Mard looked at his watch to see the minute hand fall on the first number, indicating that his two employees were each at least five minutes late.

He was trying to do as Lucy had suggested but relaxing his standards even the smallest amount was eating at him.

He felt a presence slide into a seat two stools down. Out of the corner of his eye he saw that it was one of his two employees that was supposed to meet him here tonight. He watched as the man hailed the bartender, the medal piercings down the side of his arm catching even the dim light in the room.

“What can I get for you, Sir?” the bartender asked.

“I’ll take a blood and sand,” he responded back in a gruff voice. Mard smiled. The man had accomplished his task. By the time Cobra had appeared, Gajeel, his other employee, had finished his drink, picked up his next assignment from Mard and left the restaurant.

Cobra flagged the bartender down himself. “Shark bite, thanks.”

Mard resisted the urge to roll his eyes. What a nightmare; Cobra had gotten the job done but apparently it had been messy. Potentially onlookers. The man waited expectantly for Mard to slip him a piece of paper with his next assignment but instead, Mard simply got up from the table and headed towards the back exit. It would be a few weeks before Mard decided to give Cobra another job—he had to think about it. Perhaps speak with Lucy about second chances.

As he continued walking towards the back exit, he caught a wave of blonde hair and its matching laughter. There in the back booth, looking as radiant as ever, was Lucy. Looking across from her, he could see a brute of a man who looked entirely too interested in her. Somewhat annoyed, he approached the table.

“Pardon my interruption, but it would be amiss of me to leave this evening without at least saying hello.”

“Oh!” Lucy exclaimed as she looked up at the visitor. “Mard! Fancy seeing you here.”

“Yes, well. I like to try new restaurants from time to time. And you are?” Mard directed at the interloper. He had nothing if not his manners.

“Laxus,” the man said standing up and offering his hand. Mard shook it with some disdain. “How do you two know each other?” Laxus said with a raised eyebrow.

Mard covered easily. “A friend of a friend’s dinner party is where we first met. Our friendship bloomed from there.” He couldn’t help but notice Lucy’s blush as he said those words and he beamed a bit inside. “Well, I will leave you to your evening,” and before either had a chance to say a word, he was gone from the restaurant.

“Strange,” Laxus remarked.

Lucy just nodded her head. “I certainly don’t have him all figured out.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hello Lovers!
> 
> And thus ends Unholy Trinity! Tried to mix it up here at the end. I can’t tell you why there is no smut in this fic—it’s quite unlike me. But then again, playing around a bit with the characters is its own fun.
> 
> Definite nod to Mad’s first chapter of Unholy Trinity there with Lucy’s dream to own a boxing gym. Go check out her chapters—well worth the read.
> 
> Mad said I could post late because I had a migraine last night. Her exact words were “You can do whatever you want.” It was a tough choice, but in the end, I ultimately chose writing this final chapter over world domination.
> 
> Byes!

**Author's Note:**

> Welcome to the first prompt of MadSoullessQueen's Unholy Trinity Prompt! All three of these chapters are dedicated to Mad and her awesomeness so give her some love. Kudos to her also for creating an amazing depth to Mard's character that has become something that we all draw on. Also, big thanks to Mad for not only choosing the prompt but also for giving me the setting for these three chapters. I would still be stuck in writer's block land without her help.
> 
> P.S. Don't go there. Don’t ever go there. It's very creepy. And after you take a few steps, giant brick walls pop up and block your path unexpectedly. Very dangerous. Very dangerous indeed!


End file.
